The experience is familiar—perhaps an interruption during dinner by “Rachel from Cardholder Services,” a recording announcing that you’ve won an all expenses paid cruise, or, more ominously, one claiming to be from the IRS demanding payment of delinquent taxes. Robocalls. The FCC receives over 200,000 robocall-related complaints per year, making them the FCC’s number one consumer grievance. This summer, Chairman Wheeler called on industry players across the telecommunications “ecosystem” to band together to fight the “scourge” of robocalls. The result was the formation of the Robocall Strike Force (RSF)—made up of companies and industry organizations—which held its first meeting on August 19, 2016.

The RSF will report to the Commission its findings and recommendations by October 19, 2016. By then, it should become clearer whether industry-supported solutions to combating robocalls are likely, or whether we should expect further Commission-led action.

To learn more about the background of this issues, as well as the Robocall Strike Force and its mission, click here to read the full Jenner & Block client alert on this topic.